Though altogether of the dental treatments by dental clinic Toronto, dentists forever think about saving the tooth 1st and tooth extraction is that the pis aller chore. There are certain bounded dos and don’ts to follow after the tooth extraction to ensure the proper and speedy healing of the nearby soft tissue. If medical aid isn’t pursued properly, it can defer the curative method.
Why Is The Tooth Extraction Necessary?
Tooth extraction of a tooth becomes necessary when the tooth has suffered either dental trauma (physical injury to teeth, gums or bone), periodontal disease (gum infection) or tooth decay. When all the other scopes of dental treatments are exhausted, dentists then examine tooth extraction as the only possible way to safeguard the tissues and neighbouring teeth.
Other than that removing a wisdom tooth (last molar tooth) in adults is quite common. The wisdom tooth is extracted when there is an infection in the soft tissue nearby or it causes pain.
Do’s and Don’ts
Watch out these Dos and don’ts that needs to be followed after having a tooth extracted.
Do’s:
1. Rest
Give yourself some rest after the tooth extraction. Rest and keep your head in an upright position for the next 24 hours. Don’t bend your head and no lifting of any heavy object.
2. Allow it to Clot
Allow it to clot which covers the tooth extraction site and heal it. Keep gauze to munch on the extraction site for at least an hour. Gauze helps in stopping the blood to ooze out.
The longer you keep the gauze the better it will heal. But you have to change the gauze after every half an hour. If bleeding persists, call your dentist or try a wet tea bag. Put it on the extraction site, the tannic acid in tea helps in speedy recovery.
3. Warm Saline Rinse
Since brushing the socket won’t be possible, therefore, the dentist advises rinsing the area with warm saline. Adding a pinch of salt to it will make it isotonic (alike the natural tissue fluid). So rinsing helps to clean the socket of any food particle stuck there.
4. Apply An Ice Packs
Simple tooth extraction doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get swelling. Swelling accompanies only if you had a cheek retraction. If you get swelling on the side of the face where tooth extraction was done. Apply an ice pack on the face. The ice will help to curtail the swelling part. Ice packs should be applied for at least 15 minutes with a time gap of 1-2 hour.
5. Take Prescribed Medicines
Take your prescribed medicines. Don’t skip and take them continually. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medicines should be taken after tooth extraction as they give relief from pain and bring down swelling. Call your dentist if even after 3-4 days, you feel pain and have blood clot coming out of the wound.
Dont’s
1. Don’t Smoke
The chemicals in the smoke can worsen the healing part and will leave the clot to turn into a dry socket. Moreover, smoking causes hypoxia which means your tissues won’t be getting much oxygen to restore themselves. Don’t smoke for at least 3 -4 days after tooth extraction.
2. Don’t Exercise
Exercise, by any means, should be avoided for at least 48 hours. Higher levels of exercise escalate your blood pressure, and it affects the clot formation leading to needless bleeding from the wound. This excessive bleeding makes it tough to stop. Avoid high levels of activity like dancing, partying, heavyweight training.
3. Don’t Eat Solid And Warm Food
The numbness in the tissues won’t allow you to take up the solid and warm food for a day or so. Instead, take semi-liquid or liquid and cold things like milkshakes, yogurts, mashed potatoes, smoothies.
Try eating from the other side of the mouth because it’s quite necessary not to disturb the clot formation.
4. Don’t Poke Into The Gap Created
For the first few days, don’t poke into the gap with your tongue, finger or any hard object like a toothpick. It might feel a bit clumsy to have a gap. Poking might cause bleeding and eventually will lead to a dry socket.
5. Avoid Aspirin
Don’t think of taking an aspirin. Rather can take ibuprofen. Aspirin is a blood thinner and will slow down the clot formation, thereby preventing healing. Take the prescribed medications. Seek advice from your dentist before swallowing any medicine.
The bottom line is don’t smoke, sip, eat any solid or warm veggies after tooth extraction. Instead, take soft and liquid food. Also, avoid hot and spicy food.
Keep the wounded part clean as much possible, take proper medication and take care. Get well soon!
